We Were Dreamers
by Kari Kurofai
Summary: These mountains, this journey, it brought us together . . . And now they will tear us apart. StormBramble SLASH


**We Were Dreamers**

He shouldn't have come, he'd known all along how this journey would likely end. He knew that he'd be loosing part of himself all over again. And still he'd come. He couldn't help it. Brambleclaw ground his claws into the course rock that covered this land, frustration and anguish welling up inside of him. He couldn't help it.

He couldn't help the fact that no matter how much he loved Squirreflight, that love was superficial. Since the first time he'd had the dream of the ocean, however long ago that had been. He'd known that his heart had, since birth practically, been bound to one cat and one cat only. And that was never going to change.

Yes, he'd learned that while he was still an apprentice. That shortly, in fact, only hours after the cat's birth, he and his sister were allowed to live right beside him. For the first few days of their lives, Brambleclaw and Stormfur had been together. And though they'd both refused to admit it, it had bound them, in a bond stronger than brotherhood, for they were not kin.

When he'd had the dream of the ocean, it's water's being tossed and turned by a raging thunderstorm, he'd connected it to Stormfur. And on the journey, they'd . . . Brambleclaw couldn't find the words for what the feeling had been. A feeling of knowing they were standing next to a cat they knew that they were somehow bound to. A feeling of fear, and security at the same time. It was a feeling that had blossomed and soared, flying off into a night with darkened clouds of the coming storm.

And come the storm had, ending everything they might have felt for each other in a flash of blood and broken stones. It had been the night Feathertail had died.

The whole time they had stayed with the tribe during the time, Stormfur had been his and his alone. He wanted to capture that feeling and hold it down. The same way he wanted to do to the cat himself. Hold him down, and force him to realize that they did indeed share something.

"_We can't do this."_

The words echoed harshly in Brambleclaw's ears. The conversation playing out in his mind for another countless time.

"_I won't let you. I won't let me."_

"_What are you talking about?" Brambleclaw had whispered. It was the night after Feathertail's death._

"_You see what happens to those who are around me. My own mother died giving birth to me. And my sister died because I made the wrong decisions." Stormfur's eyes hardened at these words, "I won't let you be the next one to die."_

"_I won't I-"_

_Stormfur's amber eyes, identical to his father's gazed at the Thunderclan cat with an emotion he'd never seen, "I don't love you Brambleclaw. I never have. And I swear now that I never will."_

Brambleclaw ground his claws into the gray rock of the cliff's edge he now stood on. It had been a lie. He knew it deep in his heart that it had been a lie. Their bond was not only undeniable, but also something that couldn't be just broken with false words like that.

That's why he'd been so surprised that Stormfur had chosen to stay with the tribe. When they'd stayed with them while Feathertail was still alive, the young she-cat Brook had followed Stormfur around like a lost puppy. But the gray-furred tom had paid her no mind at all. He'd hardly even looked her way. And then he had somehow used that as an excuse to leave the clans.

Brambleclaw understood his want to leave, it showed clearly in his eyes when they'd left him behind the waterfall that day. Eyes that spoke of the loss of his entire family. And eyes that reflected the one wish he wanted to fulfill. _"I won't let this half-clan curse take you as well."_

That was the last time he thought he would see the Riverclan warrior. But he was wrong. It was less than six moons later that he'd reappeared. In the middle of that blood-stained night, acting as if he had never been gone. Touching his nose to Brambleclaw's as if they were still as young as they'd once believed they were. It had stabbed at him like a thousand claws. A pain so harsh that he'd actually collapsed, and not from that night's badger attack.

And Stormfur had stayed, at least for a little while he had. And when he tried to return to Riverclan, Brambleclaw had dragged him right back. He wanted him there, no matter what lies they spoke, or what feelings Brambleclaw would have to keep hidden.

He took a mate, had kits, and drowned the feelings he had for the Riverclan tom. And then they'd asked him to return. Starclan curse the tribe, taking so much away from the clans, from him. And there was nothing he could do.

Brambleclaw stood on the edge of the cliff overlooking the place that he knew Feathertail was buried, right beside the pounding stream of the waterfall. This time, he knew that he would never see Stormfur again. He knew this for certain, just as he knew that the bond that had formed since the day they were born still existed.

"Brambleclaw."

The Thunderclan deputy flinched at the sound of the gray warrior's voice directly behind him. "What is it?" he mewed quietly.

"Your clan is waiting for your return, and the cat's you came with are waiting for you in the cave. It's time to go." Stormfur came to sit beside the tabby, looking down at the slight mound beneath the earth were his sister lay.

Brambleclaw glanced at him, not knowing what he was supposed to say. Stormfur had to know as well as he that this would be the last time they'd see each other. Right? Or maybe, maybe he had already buried his heart so deep in the earth beside the falls with his sister that he didn't care.

Tigerclaw's son stood up and turned his back to the other tom and began to head down the slope towards the cave below.

"Brambleclaw."

The words were so quiet, a whispered plea, that Brambleclaw wasn't quite sure he'd heard them at first.

"Brambleclaw, I'm sorry it had to bee this way," Stormfur whispered without turning around.

Brambleclaw didn't turn either, "so am I."

"You and I both knew from the very beginning that nothing good would ever come from this. And we both know that staying apart is better for us. For everyone."

"Yes. I know."

Stormfur slowly turned to look at the tabby's figure, back still facing his own. "Brambleclaw . . . I-"

"If you say it now, it will only hurt even more than it already does." Brambleclaw didn't turn around, and continued to walk down the slope. _a bond like ours might only shatter if we said out loud the word. And thus, we can not say it. Not until the day we meet in a land without borders and too many stars to count._

RANDOM AUTHOR RAMBLE

Lalilalala . . . I did the fic via request from Jessie, who's author name is too long and hard to spell for my little brain, so I hope u like it! :3

It was a little hard to write, me not exactly being a fan of the pairing, nor having read a decent fanfic of them. The only one I did read was a little silly. XP but I don't like Brook very much. Don't like any of the tribe cats really. So it was a little easier to write it like that. And I was supposed to slip a little JayBreeze in it as well, but I felt that it would ruin it.

Also, if you haven't seen AliKatNya's new video about Graystripe on Youtube yet, go watch it now. It's amazing, and the ending made me cry.

Also, I should maybe stop reading Fanfiction. Because every time I read an exceptionally amazing one, it influences my writing. In this fic I felt as though Brambly had Harry Potter's personality. Oopsie. That came off of the beautiful fic "A Time out Of Place" that I read. And let me tell you, I think I loved it more than "Diplomatic Relations". go read it if u never have.

The new chapter of The Taste of Pain will be out soon too. XD

Btw, the title for this piece came form the song "Believe" form polar express. Hahahahaha…. (lame) and I do take requests for fics, they keep me entertained, especially during the upcoming summer vacation. Send me sum ideas please!

Reviews are lovely. They're like author encouragement cookies. Please feed the author. :O


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